Improved machine foe peepaeing peat foe fuel



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

J. H, AMES.

Peat Machine.

Patented July 2 I867.

I v I I 1 r i.

Witnesses= Inventor:

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AM. PHOTO-LITHQCIL N.Y. (OSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

2 Sh 6t J, H AMES 8 1 Sheet 2. Peai Machine. I PatentedJuly 2, 185

I 7 ea 1 x W i i Witnesses:

Inventor:

AMPHOTD'LITHILCQNX. (DSBDRNE'S PROCESS.) L

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IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PREPARING FEAT FOB fitlge .Svtlgrhult rrfemh in in that itrttrts saw ma mating part it 11p smut.

To ALL WHOM :IT MAY oononnn: v

Be it known that I, JOHN H. AMES, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Preparing Peat; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,.and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved machine.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the'working mould.

Figure 3 is a section through the pressing mechanism that forms'the peat into a'block, and

Figure 4 is a sectional plan through the hopper 9 showing the rollers hand h, and the means for rotating themt i Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

The objects of-iny invention are, first, to separate roots, sticks, and hard substances that vwould injure the machine itself; second, to beat, mix, and work the peat thoroughly, so as to render the mass as near homogeneous as possible; third, to. expose the peat in small pieces, sheets, or strips to the action of heated air todry the same; fourth, to feed the peat into a mould and exhaust the atmosphere in order to increase the speed of the drying and prevent air being confined in the peat when pressed, so that the cakes or blocks will not break apart by the expansion of confined air; fifth, to press the peat powerfully, and atthe same time form perforations or holes in the cakes or blocks for facilitating the drying operation subsequently, and also to allow the peat to .catch more easily when used as fuel, in consequenceof the extent of surface thereby presented by each cake.

The peat as dug is supplied into the hopper a, at the-bottom of which is a belt, 6, that conveys the material along beneath a revolving rake, a, that throws any roots, sticks, or other matter that would obstruct the machine over into the box d. From the end of the belt 15 the material falls into the hopper e, in which are-the rotary mixers ff, formed as rollers, with-long pins or teeth projecting in rows, and 1 1 are rows of pins projecting from the inside of the hopper. These pins tear apart the fibres that are found in the peat and reduce it to a more uniform mass. I introduce into the hoppers a and e a blast of hot air through the pipes 2 and 3.

These pipes connect together and receive the heated air from any desired furnace and blower. The heated air tends to warm and partially dry the peat, and makes its condition better for the operations before named. From the hopper e the peat falls into the hopper g, in which are two fluted rollers h h geared together, as seen in the sectional plan fig. 4, and to one of these rollers a rotary movement is given by a belt from competent power; the other roller is rotated by the-gears 4, and has also an endwise movement to rub the peat, which movement is derived from a cam-shapedend to the roller rotating against pins 5, seen in fig. 4. The peat is 'pressed by the rollers into tbe'press-boxes kit on the sides. of the hopper g, and in these are plungersl Z operated by the links I, levers Z and links m'to arms m? from the shaft m that is rocked by means of a. connection to the power hereafter described. The plungers l squeeze the peat out of the press-boxes 70 through holes or narrow openings into the chamber is, into which hot air is introduced, said heated air being supplied as aforesaid. The hopper g is also supplied with heated air, 6 being the pipe to the same, and 7 the pipe for supplying hot air to the chamber is, and 8, pipes for allowing the vapors thrown off from the peat to escape with the air. The

peat passing down through the chamber is in thin. sheets or small pieces is exposed to the drying action of the heated air, and from the hopper-shaped bottom of the chamber is the peat passes into the charger 0 which separates theliot-air chamber is from the exhaust chamber 0 beneath. Inclined plates, revolving or reciprocating sieves or heaters, endless belts, or progressively moving tables may be employed for receiving the peat and detaining it as long as necessary in the hot-air drying-chamber 7a. This charger 0 is formed as a hollow plug rotated automatically and in unison with the other parts, so that the charge received by it is delivered periodically into a chamber, 0'. Beneath and below this is. a cylinder, p, and plunger t)" operated by an arm, 9, from the rock-shaft m", so that the charge is forced by the plunger into a hole or mould in the revolving press-block 16. This press-block 16 is moved periodically by a partial turn, (say one-quarter each movement,) and has openings through it forming "moulds, and corresponding in number with the progressive movements given to it each complete revolution. The main shaft q'is rotated by competent power. I have shown a pinion, p, acting on the wheel p. This pinion 0, by a crank-pin-and connecting-rod, 10, operates upon the piston-rod of an ordinary air-pump, q. The shaft 9 has a quarter segmental mitre-wheel, r, acting periodically upon the mitrewheel rl'on the axis of the press-block 16, so as to rotate the same progressively; r is a spring-bolt that holds the press-block between each movement, and 1' is a cam on to draiy back the bolt r at the proper time. From the air-pump q pipes pass to the chamber 0 and to a plate, 17, that is on the opposite side of the press-block to the cylinder 17, and this press-block 16 revolves between twoplates fitted and packed so as to be air-tight or nearly so, in order that the air in and around the peat may be pumped away as much as possible to carry with it the vapors, and also-to prevent the air remaining in the peat when pressed. The peat is carried around in the press-block to the-plunger t that is operated by the-connecting-rod it from a crank-pin, and gives to the peat a powerful pressure to consolidate it, and this plunger t has pins projecting from its surface that entering the peat form openings or perforations for the purposes aforesaid. The openings in the press-block taper slightly at the back end. The further movement of the press-block 16 brings the cake of peat around to the delivering ram 18 that presses said cake out upon a slide or receiving-apron20. In consequence of the taper of the holes in the press-block the cake of peat is delivered easily, but the plunger 18 cannot draw it hack with it on the return motion. v r

In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown an elevation and section of the cake of peat as delivered from the pressblock ready for use. i r

The connecting-rod t has a pin on its side giving motion by the link 24 to thearm 25 and rock-shaft m aforesaid, and also to the crank 260i the rock-shaft 27 that operates the delivery-ram 18 through the lever 28 and link 29. The gear-wheels, links, and levers connecting and moving the various parts may be changed as rendered necessary for properly preparing the peat and operating the pressing mechanism.

What I claiin, and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent, is 7 1. The revolving separator c, in combination'with the hopper a,conveying-belt b, and receptacle (Z, for the purposes and as specified.

2. I'claim the compressing and mixing rollers 71 It, to one of which an end motion is given, in combination with Whopper, g,'to which heated air-is admitted, for the purposes and as set forth.

3. I claim drying peat by means of heated air within n-chamber in which the peat descends in thin sheets, strips, or pieces, substantially as set forth.

4. I claim the charger o, separating the hot-air and exhaust-chambers, and delivering the peat into the latter, as set forth. 7 i o 5. I claim the chamber 1) and plunger 19, in combination with the revolving press-block 16, and an eiihaust ing apparatus substantially as set forth, for producing a partial vacuum in'the chamber containing said peat, before said peat is pressed, for the purposes and as set forth. N t

6. I claim a revolving press-block with taperingopenings for receiving the peat and holding the cake after being pressed, as and for the purposes-set forth. Y

Dated December 28, 1866.

'JOHN' H.AMES. Witnesses:

Gno: D. WALKER, Gnas. H. SMITH. 

